Our school trip to Rishikesh was the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation – a well-earned finale to our MYP journey . The first day was mostly spent traveling, and by the time we reached our campsite, night had already fallen. Exhausted from the journey, we barely had the energy to settle into our tents/rooms before unwinding with our favorite game, Blood on the Clocktower, which we played almost every night.The real excitement began on the second day with a visit to The Thrill Factory, where we did sky cycling (basically cycling across a tightrope suspended midair), wall climbing, and rope courses. The rope courses and wall climbing were definitely challenging and we left the thrill factory quite tired yet still excited for what was to come.The activities didn’t stop there-later that afternoon, our campsite had direct access to a zip line which took us to the other side of the valley. And so, we ziplined over the Ganga, which gave us some of the best views of the river (and quite possibly the best view of the entire trip). But the highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the third day, when we experienced white water rafting. With two sessions lined up, we paddled through rapids, got drenched, and at certain points, were even allowed to jump into the freezing water. By the end of the day, we were exhausted but completely exhilarated. Not only was river rafting a test of endurance but also a test of our teamwork as well. All in all, it was definitely the most enjoyable activity.
After the non-stop action, the fourth day was a welcome change of pace. We woke up quite early to do yoga by the banks of the Ganga, embracing the peaceful morning atmosphere and the serenity of the river while we had an instructor lead us through a mix of breathing exercises as well as physical yoga. Later, we explored the local markets, where we probably boosted the local economy with our souvenir shopping. Since Rishikesh is considered a spiritual place, there were tons of crystals, malas and charms available. The day ended with a visit to the Beatles Ashram, which, to our surprise, was inside a tiger reserve. Even more surprising was the ticket pricing—₹1200 for foreigners, ₹50 for Indians. We enjoyed exploring the meditation rooms and seeing the murals dedicated to the beatles. The day ended with a sound healing session by a local didgeridoo healing academy. We even learn a bit about the history of the instrument before the session.
On the final morning, we set off on a scenic hike, which was a loop around trail of the mountain, before gathering for a gratitude session, reflecting on the memories we had made. We gave our feedback to the trip organisers and even wrote gratitude cards for them. Overall, this trip was really quite a lot of fun not only because of the activities but also because we really got to connect as a grade.
